Increasing Milk Supply Will A Decent Pump Help?

[ReBeCcA-90]

My daughter is 10 weeks old and I'm paranoid that my milk supply is low, I have a Phillips manual pump that came in a starter pack.

Daughter sleeps really well at night sometimes for six hours, the other night she went this long so I fed her from left breast and tried to pump right boob but only got 4 drops, think there was milk there as boob was lumpy and when I put her on for next feed I could hear her swallowing but she only went 5 minutes before she started pinching, smacking, scratching my breast (she does this only on right boob after 5 minutes or so) we thought it was wind but as soon as I took her off she started screaming so put her back on left boob and she was fine so I don't think it's wind.

She's on gripe water and infant gaviscon so we can't get away from bottles, and my partner has to give her dummy as she just screams when her holds her. Also after a feed she starts sucking on her arm, all my family say she's hungry..

She gained weight well up until week 3 but then only gained 3oz in 3 weeks so health visitor told me to up the feeds which I have done last couple of weeks she's gained 10oz.

Should I fork out for a electric pump costing over £100? Would it even help? Many thanks for reading! Rebecca

[KellyTrip]

I used to worry about supply but babies are better at getting milk out than a pump is! I would pump at night as that's when you produce the most milk. Even if you don't get much, you are stimulating the ducts.

[ReBeCcA-90 in reply to KellyTrip]

Thanks for advice- pumping at night is hard as honestly she sleeps for maybe 2 hours per day from 7am-11pm so im exhausted and because she sleeps so well and night i tend to too, i was waking at 3am last week to pump but after that im so awake i cant sleep so knocked that on the head. me and my partner think we have 3 choices i put up with her screaming and my painful nipples and carry on nursing her 12 hours a day, i try pumping all the time and give her breast milk via bottle, or i go to formula. just dont know whats best, and she cant tell me! XxX

[Dad101]

Hi we worked on a system of feed, then express what was left. The theory goes the more you use the more you produce. My wife went back to work after 4 months so we stored in the freezer so I had a supply. So keep eating, sleeping and pumping and you will be fine.

As for electronic Vs Manuel my wife found the pump yourself method worked better than the the electronic one.

[ReBeCcA-90 in reply to Dad101]

Thank u for replying and advice! dont think i will fork out £100 for electric pump, i thinking if i cant get out via manual pump maybe £100 on electric may be a waste of money, just going to take a day at a time for now, partner has quite a lot of time off from work this week and were going away for a few days, i am hoping rather than being hungry all the time daughter may just be clingy and by going away partner will be able to help out a lot more! i would love to be able to freeze milk but sometimes all day pumping on both breasts i only get about 3oz which she drinks in 1 go. thanks again

[Dad101 in reply to ReBeCcA-90]

Have you spoken to a breastfeeding advisor, your midwife should be able to help. In addition check to see if your little one is tongue tied as it can affect feeding.

nhs.uk/conditions/tongue-ti...

Breast feeding isn't easy and it takes work and it's early days for you. You need to eat and sleep as well or you won't produce milk. Routine is so important for both of you. I tried feeding, playing and then sleeping and made my wife nap when the baby napped. I know you've got loads to do but you need rest as well.

Try some books like the Baby Whisperer or the Contented Baby

You also have to accept that they will cry, cling and shout for the next 21 years and then hopefully they'll move out!

Your doing brilliantly and know that your not alone, and all this is normal.

[ReBeCcA-90 in reply to Dad101]

Sorry about late reply, we have been away for a few days (won't be doing that again for a while 😆) tongue been checked three times by different professionals and not tied, which is good to know! Trying to get the rest but partner out of the house about 50 hours a week so not really do able, as she doesn't nap no word of a lie she sleep from 11.30-5.30 (average) and if we lucky may go back down at say 6.30-9 but then nothing until 11 ish that night, we have tried everything to make her sleep to, mentioned this to health visitor but she wasn't bothered, she's in r bed as we prop her up and she hates sleeping on back and I'm not comfortable yet putting her on front in own cot, plus as she has silent reflux I can't lie her flat! Going to pop to library tomorrow about some books, thankfully I have a lot of family who has had children so lots of advice and support there! Thanks again for all ur reply and support!

[tashalucy]

I saw some defect pumps here. And electric seem to be the best and easiest to use babyconfused.com/breastfeed....

There are some really good sales on at the moment!

If you want to express, it also has some good advise here babyconfused.com/expressing....

[ReBeCcA-90 in reply to tashalucy]

Thanks for ur reply, think for the time I'm going to leave the pump, as this is my first child and have already spent a fortune and a lot of stuff I haven't used yet, think the pump would be one of these and I'm always with her and no pump can compete with baby! Thanks again for reply!

[misswinky34]

the arm sucking is also a sign of reflux. And the frustration at the breast may also be be down to this. You mentioned infant gaviscon, this is unaffective for some babies. If the munchkin is linking feeding with pain (from reflux) it may put her off even though she's hungry. So she goes back on and its like a dog chasing its tail, breastmilk contains natural anagesic which is why they suggested it was reflux to me and that my son was comfort feeding. If it carry's on and she's not gaining enough (my son dropped a centile) it might be worth a visit to the gp to see about switching to ranitidine. I doubt its a supply issue. even if you expressed I to a bottle it's not necessarily a reflection of how much she's getting. plus by 10 weeks you sound like your well established, try not to doubt yourself ☺ if your worried call the health visitor or GP xxx

[ReBeCcA-90 in reply to misswinky34]

Didn't know that about arm sucking-makes sense I hate her doing it though as a few times she's put most if her fist in her mouth and gagged, frightening for me! Don't think reflux us harming her feeding too much as past 3/4 weeks she's been gaining really good weight! We're taking one day at a time regarding feeding, don't think I will buy a pump as I'm always with her and no pump can compete with her, may go back to doctor and ask about ranitidine, although we think gaviscon may be managing it at the moment, the older she gets the easier she gets! It's nice to know that I doubt supply is a issue, I just think I am 1 of those people who just need to worry 😆 Thank u so much for reply, support and advice x

[LD2016]

My son is the same in that he'll have a good stretch of sleep most nights and I think that's a really good indication of how your supply is. If she was hungry she would wake for food, does she want to feed loads in the evenings and when she wakes in the mornings? Just them filling their little bellies.

With her fussing on one side and only feeding for 5 mins perhaps your let down is good and she has become effective at draining you and so becomes fussy as she is done? I remember hitting week 6 and suddenly he'd gone from feeding for hours on end to being satisfied with one boob after 5 mins.

Perhaps speak to your health visitor about the pain from the right side your experiencing. I had excruciating pain on my right side for about a week when he was 2 weeks old. Spoke to my health visitor and she arranged for me to borrow a pump from my local health center until we had his tounge tie snipped (as we thought that was the cause of the pain). However, by the time the pump had become available the pain had gone. I understand it's not the best thing to use a pump someone else has used but if you're just wanting to test it and see whether or not it works for you maybe worth trying rather than spending money on something that may not work.

You said that she's gaining weight too so sound like everything is well xx

[ReBeCcA-90 in reply to LD2016]

Hiya thanks for replying, no she only wants to feed loads in evening, it feels like the morning feeds go really well and she's content after for a few hours but as the day goes on the more feeds she wants, it may well be comfort sucking at night though as partner works in the evening and I can't cope with screaming for 6/7 hours so end up giving in and putting on breast. Don't think she is done after five minutes on right side as she creates as so as I pack boob away. I see health visitor in 2 weeks will ask about trying/borrowing a pump then (if I don't switch to formula before then, was really close this morning! Thanks for taking the time to reply and thanks for advice xx

[LD2016 in reply to ReBeCcA-90]

Hey no worries. Yeah she might be comfort feeding for the reflux. That does sound liks hard work at least she is having a good stretch of sleep she must be content to be able to do that.

Do you have a carrier to keep her up right? Bought ours on ebay as he favours being up right and is wanting to be held what feels like all the time at the moment so the carrier keeps us both happy maybe worth investing to keep her sweet.

May be best to call the HV sooner it took over a week for the pump to become available for me. It sounds like you'd like to continue BF no reason to go through unnecessary pain that may end up putting you off. She may also sense your discomfort when she's feeding on your right side which is why she is fussing.

You might not even be able to pump much just it will stimulate your breast and prevent your supply from dwindling and then you won't have to go through any pain whilst feeding her, untill you can find out what's causing it.

Hope all is well today xx

[ReBeCcA-90 in reply to LD2016]

All is really good today she seems to have 3 bad days a week and 4 good, today's a good one! Will call health visitor Monday, thanks! Yes have a sling and she hates it at the moment, she will tolerate her bouncer for half an hour at a time the rest of the time I'm holding her over my shoulder or I'm feeding her upright, she screams as soon as we lie her flat, so now she's only ever flat on back when changing her! Hope u r also having a nice day! Thanks for advice and reply x

[misswinky34]

fist in the mouth is also sometimes a signal for silent reflux, consultant said to Me they cram their fists in as a reaction to pain, and silent reflux is sneaky and can still be there with good weight gains and no vommit which is why my munchkin went so long with diagnosis. However- babies suck arms and fists when they are realising their own limbs, they are like yeay something fits im my mouth!! Not always something sinister, babies are still just being babies!! Just keep an eye on it, trust your instincts, if your still worried in a couple if weeks go back to the GPand I'm with you with the worrying, I thought 3rd baby would be a breeze! ..nope..lol